Method to be used at packaging a number of articles and a device for effecting the method

Abstract

When packaging round articles such as bottles, jars and the like, it is a desideratum that the articles be automatically arranged in such a formation so that the largest possible number of articles are brought together on a parallelepipedic base of a given size. Such a formation -- a scroll pattern formation -- can be obtained in a most simple manner in using a method and nodwire by which the articles are formed to rows, which through a feed opening are fed to a surface at which the scroll pattern formation shall be obtained, said feed opening being adjusted between every row feeding operation so that it, after every second feed operation, is moved a step sidewise and after the other feed operations is moved to its original position.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A method for assembling a number of articles having a substantially round cross-section and arranging said articles in a substantially parallelpipedic formation with adjacent rows of the articles arranged in a scroll pattern formation including the following steps: (A) transporting by means of a first transport device a number of articles to a collection station; (B) arranging said articles in a single straight row at said collection station; (C) feeding one row of articles after another from the collection station through a feed opening onto a second transport device disposed perpendicular to the first transport device; (D) successively transporting by means of said second transport device said single rows of articles, one-by-one against a stop adjusting the width of the feed opening and the width of the articles in a single row of articles being fed through the feed opening, the single row of articles, when transported against the stop, hitting the articles of a previous row fed immediately therebefore, at a point offset from the middle line of said previous articles, and said transported articles, due to their movement, finding and occupying spaces between the articles of the previous row. 
     
     
       2. A device for locating articles in a scroll pattern formation, comprising a first transport device comprising a conveyor belt, a collection station arranged at one end of said first conveyor belt,   a second transport device in the form of a second conveyor belt arranged perpendicularly to the first conveyor belt and just in front of the collection station,   a feed opening arranged between the collection station and the second conveyor belt, a reciprocating transfer means arranged to feed articles gathered in a row at the collection station over on said second conveyor belt,   said second conveyor belt being provided with a stop arranged remote from the feed opening and further with side supports, the feed opening being provided with means for adjusting the width of the feed opening in relation to said side supports, so that respective articles in adjacent row are offset with respect to each other.   
     
     
       3. A device as claimed in claim 2 for locating the articles in a scroll pattern formation with an equal number of articles in each row, wherein said feed opening comprises two side surfaces adjusted inwardly a distance corresponding to 1/4 of the diameter of the article as compared to the side supports. 
     
     
       4. A device as claimed in claim 3, including a triangular filling piece fitted at one of the corners between the stop and a side support, said filling piece including means designed to guide the articles of the first row in a direction towards the other corner between the stop and the other side support. 
     
     
       5. A device as claimed in claim 2 for locating the articles in a scroll pattern formation with an equal number of articles in every second row, wherein one side surface of the feed opening comprises a movable stop member, arranged to release the feed opening in a first, retracted position and which, in its second, extended position, is located inside one of the side supports a distance corresponding to half the diameter of one of the articles.